1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to pet toys and, more particularly, to a flexible telescoping wand, and tether array for support of an object for pet interaction.
2. History of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with devices and toys for pet interaction and play. Such devices have included replicas of animals and figures which are typically the object of interest for a particular pet. Synthetic bones, for example, have previously been popular for canine entertainment. The bones often include coloring to resemble meat like substances. Replicas of "T-bone steaks" made of suitably durable material for owner/pet interaction have been popular because the fragility of a normal animal bone ordinarily result in quick destruction and consumption by the animal. The synthetic toy can provide hours of entertainment.
As set forth above, the use of synthetic materials for the fabrication of replicas of animals and objects normally sought by pets has found widespread acceptance. Cat toys have included replicas of small rodents which are constructed of lightweight material, often with a "fuzzy" appearance and sufficiently durable to withstand the immediate attack by the animal. In many instances the toy may be tethered for dangling or pulling by the owner during play. This type of owner/pet interaction is quite similar to the age old illustration of a ball of yarn exposed for play with a cat. It is widely known that cats prefer to "toy" with their prey, and the tethering of a soft fuzzy object such as a ball of yarn to a tether in and of itself provides a medium for the cat to manifest its animal instincts in a playful manner.
More conventional animal toys have included combinations of plastic and synthetic fibers for creation of objects particularly adapted for a certain pet's animal instincts. In the case of cats, stuffed toys in shapes of cubes, spheres, rodents and nondescript furry assemblages have found widespread acceptance. In some instances the objects are tethered for support by the owner whereby the object may be pulled across the floor in front of the pet for "toying" with the animal. While it is oftentimes fun to entertain a pet by dangling the toy before the animal, such events are not always opportune relative to an owner's desire for pet interaction. It would therefore be an advantage to provide a pet toy that could be utilized the pet with many of the advantageous aspects of owner/pet interaction such as the movement and toying motions, noises and appearances without the presence of the owner. To accomplish such a feat would require the object to both move in both an up and down and side-to-side manner and often in a "jerky" motion. The configuration of the object would of course, have to vary to maintain the pet's interest over a prolonged period of time. This is particularly true of cats and the like.
The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by providing such a pet interaction object disposed at the end of the tether secured to a flexible, telescoping wand. The wand is adapted for being held by the owner for direct interaction with the pet or for coupling to a suction cup for mounting upon a smooth, vertical wall such as a window or refrigerator door to allow the cat to toy with the object in the absence of the owner's presence. To further enhance the interaction, the tether may be elastic and a bell may be secured to the wand.